[ The place really does remind him of something he'd find back home - in Faerghus specifically, even - which is a little odd to discover but nostalgic in its own way. He follows her around to the stables and lets Nova nose his way forward to investigate, even as he gives the mare an admiring glance. ]

Lady, huh? [ The horizon is handy, since he can just reach into a pocket for a treat and just pull one out, even if there hadn't been one there before. The mare is offered a sugar cube in greeting, and then Nova gets one by default when he headbutts Sylvain's shoulder in demand. ] She's gorgeous.

[ At the mention of Hilda, however, his head comes up and he glances over in Claire's direction with a blink of surprise and then a soft laugh. ]

Pretty well, actually. [ He chuckles to himself for a moment before letting Claire in on the joke, his lips curving into a crooked grin. ] We grew up together, sort of.

[ He jerks a thumb back over his shoulder to where the tall spires of the Monastery can be seen over the trees, even from here. ] We were both sent to the Monastery for schooling early in our teens and spent several years there together. There area few of us here - all in the Free Cities, fortunately for us - so you might get more curious people poking their noses in over here at times.